We aim to help you make informed decisions about both traditional and alternative treatments.

Americans prize a youthful appearance, and we are willing to spend money and go to some effort to stave off wrinkles. Will putting vitamin E oil on your skin help you look young? Is Vitamin E Oil a Go…

It has been our experience that people pay very close attention to what happens when they sit on the throne in their bathrooms. We frequently get questions about the color, texture and frequency of bo…

At least since the middle of the 20th century, Americans have been warned not to eat saturated fat. The idea was that fats that are solid at room temperature, like butter or the fat found in meat like…

In 1997 Jason Theodosakis, MD, MS, MPH, and colleagues launched the book, The Arthritis Cure: The Medical Miracle That Can Halt, Reverse, and May Even Cure Osteoarthritis. It could be stated that Dr. …

Levothyroxine (Synthroid) is one of the most commonly prescribed medications in the country. Approximately 20 million Americans have a thyroid condition, so perhaps we shouldn't be surprised that synt…

Antidepressants are, by definition, supposed to improve mood. They are prescribed to lift people out of psychological depression. In theory, drugs like fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil) and sert…

Many of us struggle with smelly gas, known more technically (and perhaps more politely) as flatulence. Sometimes the culprit is a medication that is causing the trouble. But people trying to control f…

Heart Disease and Inflammation: Is cholesterol the main problem leading to clogged arteries and heart attacks? It certainly is important, but a brand-new study suggests that inflammation may also be c…

Whole grains have a golden reputation as the mainstay of a healthy diet. The old food pyramid was built on a foundation of whole grains. But how good is the evidence that eating brown rice, steel cut …

When you get a diagnosis of cancer the world stops. Your brain melts and you go into fight or flight mode. It is one of the most stressful times of your life. All you can think about is choosing the r…

Americans love antidepressants. It is estimated that between one in eight and one in ten takes an antidepressant medication. People take SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) and SNRIs (sero…

Most people would like to find a way to prevent dementia, but the picture is complex. Lifestyle factors such as exercise, diet and sleep have all been suggested as possible paths to keeping our brains…

What accounts for differences in blood pressure? A new analysis from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute Working Group suggests that the ecology of bacteria in our digestive tracts may play a…

Have you ever wakened far too early and resigned yourself to tossing and turning until time to get up? This scenario is common. We were pleased to learn that one reader found a simple supplement could…

Let's face it. We used to be at the mercy of our doctors. If a specialist said "jump," they expected us to inquire "how high?" If a medication was prescribed, we were expected to take it. The fewer qu…

Have you ever had hiccups? Almost everyone has. They can be annoying, embarrassing and uncomfortable, but hiccups generally go away on their own. When hiccups last for more than two days, though, they…

Ice cravings can, like the tip of an iceberg, signal a bigger problem. It may take some sleuthing, though. Many people with uncontrollable ice craving may have no idea that they need to be tested for …

Plantar fasciitis, an inflammation of the tough tissue on the sole of the foot, is a drag. The heel pain, though persistent, is especially strong in the morning and can make it difficult to exercise o…

Roughly one out of five Americans takes an NSAID (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug) regularly. That includes medications like celecoxib, diclofenac, ibuprofen, indomethacin, meloxicam and naproxen …

People at risk for dangerous blood clots frequently need to take anticoagulant medication to prevent clots from forming. Perhaps the best-known of these is warfarin. It is inexpensive, and its side ef…

The history of breast cancer surgery is a tale of woe and intrigue. It is a story of strong personalities and procedures that were based more on beliefs than on science. Old ideas die hard. It took ye…

For decades, epidemiologists have noted that people who eat breakfast seem to weigh less and live longer. But it hasn't been clear if eating breakfast helps people stay healthy, or if healthy people t…

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) does not appear to increase the risk of death from either heart disease or cancer. That's what researchers concluded by analyzing data from the long-running Women's H…

New cancer drugs have become extremely expensive. It is not unusual for immunotherapy treatments to cost between $100,000 and $200,000 per year. Often, the pharmaceutical industry justifies such a pri…

If you want to stay healthy, don't just sit there. Make sure you get up from your chair every half hour or so. Why Should You Get Up? A new study of approximately 8,000 people shows that those who get…

Any link between a dream and dementia sounds far-fetched, to be sure. Nonetheless, one possible interpretation of findings from a recent study is that people who dream more are less prone to dementia.…

Blood clots in the veins of the legs can be serious. Not only do they cause swelling, inflammation and pain in the affected leg, but they can also break loose and lodge in the lung. Blood clots in the…

People in pain are caught in a terrible bind. When you hurt, it is common for your blood pressure to go up. That's hardly a surprise. Pain is extremely stressful for your entire body. But taking nonst…

What can a woman do when her sex drive is more powerful than her partner's? We have heard from innumerable women with this problem. Sex and desire are still sufficiently taboo topics that there are ve…

Many individuals who have sleep problems from time to time would rather solve them without resorting to sleeping pills. After all, prescription sleeping pills can be habit-forming. Even OTC sleep aids…